At the informal settlement near Margate, we came across this delightful young girl with responsibility for the baby. She had a quick and ready smile, but certainly had some pain in her eyes. The baby did not even have a diaper. We would like to provide diapers for the baby and clothing for both of them.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Children at informal settlement
These children are wearing all the clothes they own to keep warm in the unseasonably cold temperatures of 50-60 degrees F. They are still barefoot, however.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Safe House "Ready Packs:
For girls, we would like to include:
- dress or skirt
- pair of shorts or capris
- pair of jeans or slacks
- blouse
- t-shirt
- underwear (panties, slip and undershirt)
- pyjamas
- ankle socks
- sandals or flip-flops
- sweater or jacket
- knitted or crocheted cap
- toiletries ( toothbrush, comb, washcloth)
- toy or game
- The bag to put it all in!
For Boys:
- Shirt
- T-shirt
- slacks or jeans
- shorts
- underwear (boxers/briefs, undershirt)
- pyjamas
- socks
- sandals
- sweater or jacket
- knitted or crocheted cap
- toiletries (toothbrush, comb, washcloth)
- toy or game
- The Bag to put it all in!
Gently used clothing would be appreciated as would handcrafted items. Many AC4C members are making sewn tote bags or crocheted bags. A simple skirt can be sewn from a rectangle of cloth, with a simple elastic waist. Please keep on the lookout for sale items.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Hope For Our World
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Namaqualand Wild Flowers
Every Spring the desert comes alive with wonderful color. This beautiful picture captures the vividness. Do you see why I love bright colors and where I got the idea for the colors of the little girl's dress and bloomers seen below? Just look at the bright, bright blue of the sky.
Lilac-breasted roller - Coracias caudata
A beautiful bird from South Africa whose colors would make another beautiful outfit for a little one.
African Crowned Crane
South African National bird. Wouldn't a baby outfit in these colors look just adorable for a little boy? A little hat with a pompon on top would crown it off beautifully!
Handknit sweater
Another handknit sweater that the owner enjoys showing off. Her face is hidden as she is in a safe house in KZN somewhere. These children arrive with only the clothes they are standing up in, and the need is desperate.
Handknitted sweater worn with pride
This young girl lives in an informal settlement near Margate. She obviously cares about her appearance and she has tried to coordinate her T-shirt and sweater. She was also wearing a green skirt. I'm sure she would appreciate something else to wear. What a beautiful smile she had. Imagine parenting at such a young age, living in a makeshift dwelling. The baby on her hip did not even have a diaper. The BPP has a great need for simple single layer flat cloth diapers; each pack includes a single diaper or nappy.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Soccer Fever in South Africa
http://www.safa.net/index.php?page=gallery
Baby Packs being sorted
Assembled Baby Packs under window in plastic bags. DH's ear at bottom right; he's unpacking items from the suitcase we took with us. Val took more pictures which she is going to send along with a DVD detailing more of the clinics served by the Baby Pack.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
January 2008 Baby Pack Drive at AC4C
Goal is 90 completed Baby Packs. They typically give out about thirty packs per month, so this would give them three months' worth.
Needs:
Diapers (flat single layer, cotton or terrycloth, about 30x30), as many as possible
Diaper pins as many as possible
Baby sweater or cardigan 90 (45 girl, 45 boy)
Waterproof diaper cover 90
Bib 90
T-shirt or onesie 90
Booties 90
Receiving blanket (45x45, flannel) 90
Baby afghan 90
Knitted, sewn or crocheted animal 90
Bonnet or hat 90
Themes:
African animals and birds (there are no tigers in Africa, except in the zoo!)
Lion, leopard, cheetah (goldy-yellow and brown, yellow with black spots)
Giraffe (light brown/beige with darker brown patches)
Zebra
Elephant
Crocodile (alligator works for this one)
Rhino
Hippopotamus
Monkey
Baboon
Flag colours (solid colors to mix and match)
Sleepers with different color arms, legs, cuffs, etc would work great
Red
Blue
Yellow
Black
White
Green
Ethnic/African colors/themes
Black and brown
Orange/green/white
Mudcloth black/white abstract
Adinkra symbols
Kwanzaa symbols (Kwanzaa is a purely American holiday, but the symbols are good)
Beige and brown
Bright ethnic prints
Shields
Baby Pastels
Pink
Blue
Lavender
Mint
Yellow
Peach/pale orange
Beige
Aqua
White
Brights
Yellow
Orange
Fuchsia
Purple
Green
Red
Blue
Turquoise
Violet
Celestial
Moon/stars
Sun
Clouds
Planets
Animals/bugs,birds
Sheep
Bears
Frogs
Lizards
Lambs
Cows
Ladybug
Butterfly
Dragonfly
Transportation
Cars
Boats
Fire engines
Planes
Rocket ships
Wet!
Blue
Water
Fish
Dolphin
Whale
Sharks
Boats
Nautical (sailor suit, for example, or middy type sweater)
Sweet
Hearts
Love
Candy
Cake (Arlene’s cupcake hat for example)
Cookies
chocolate
Funky modern
Aqua/chocolate
Black/pink
Camouflage
Pink/brown
Purple/orange
Pink/orange
Black/white
Sports
Soccer
Rugby (football prints would work) South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 2007!
Cricket (those of you in the UK or Australia know what this is)
Surfing (best surfing beaches in the world are in South Africa)
Athletics
Sailing
This should give you plenty of ideas!
The items will be shipped together via surface cargo, probably in late February or early March.
Special Request:
Local schoolteachers asked Val for help in providing underwear to little girls who came to school without any, being unable to afford even such basic items. Let’s have a special drive for these little girls.
Goal
90 pairs of panties (good coverage, not bikini type)
Ages 4-16
We will also be collecting underwear for boys, ages 4-16. Much debate on AC4C about boxers vs briefs. Any type will be gratefully received.
Goal 90 pairs
Extras
They will also find good homes for clothing for older babies and toddlers, gently used are fine.
Siyabonga (Zulu for Thank you) for helping the little Zulu babies
Sunday, October 28, 2007
All Crafts 4 Charity and Ravelry
The contributions are starting to arrive. Some of them will go with me in my luggage on my upcoming trip to South Africa. Val Bailey, who coordinates the project, will be taking me to visit some of the clinics receiving the Baby Packs. I'll post lots of pictures, hopefully from South Africa, if the bandwidth permits.
Please leave a comment or suggestion; I'm always looking for new patterns and ideas.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Ubuntu
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
Which translated means "a person is a person through other people." The concept goes much deeper than that, however. Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has summed it up like this:
"Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language. When we want to give high praise to someone we say, "Yu u nobuntu"; "Hey, so-and-so has ubuntu." Then you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate. You share what you have. It is to say, "My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours." ......... We say, "A person is a person through other persons." ..........A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed............What dehumanizes you inexorably dehumanizes me."
In helping the people who benefit from the Baby Pack Project, we participate in the spirit of Ubuntu, and contribute to the common good. We become part of the connectedness of humankind. For someone to say of us that we have Ubuntu is something to which we can aspire.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Suggested colors
- White: spiritual love, purity
- Red: Physical love, strong emotion (heartache, impatience)
- Pink: High birth or rank, an oath or promise (poverty, laziness)
- Green: Domestic bliss (Illness, discord)
- Yellow: Wealth, a garden, industry, fertility (Thirst, badness, withering away)
- Blue: Fidelity, a request (ill feeling, hostility)
- Black: Marriage, regeneration (Sorrow, despair, death)
Young Zulu maiden wearing traditional beadwork:
Soccer:
Amazulu: Green or white (all green or all white)
Golden Arrows: Green and yellow (Yellow top, green bottom, or green top yellow bottom)
Maritzburg United: Blue and White or red and white
Rugby:
Sharks: Gray and black or yellow and black
Local Produce
Bananas, Pineapple, sugar cane, papayas, citrus fruits, mango
Local Wildlife
Elephants, leopards, cheetahs, hippos, crocodile, rhino, zebra, antelope, baboon, monkeys
Crochet pattern suggestions
Avoid wool, it won't dry easily in the humid climate. Synthetics, cotton, or bamboo would work well
Hat/ Bonnets
Baby Derby
Adriafil Formentera
Noodle Baby hat
Adriafil Giava
Bernat Hat and Booties
Bernat Toque
Coats and Clark Froggy hat
Booties
Abominable Baby Slippers
little feet
Socks with afterthought heel
Baby sock
Bunny booties
Bernat Booties and Bibs
Sweaters/Cardigans
Baby it's Cold Outside
Bernat cardigan
Bernat Hoodie
Caron SS Baby jacket
Baby ensemble
Caron Bright Baby Hoodie
Coats and Clark Toddler Set
Coats and Clark Baby jacket
Coats and Clark First Love set
Coats and Clark hat and cardigan
Coats and Clark Cute as a Button
Coats and Clark Elfin Stripes
Coats and Clark Pretty Baby
Coats and Clark Naptime
Coats and Clark Sunny Outing
Afghans
Field of flowers
Toys
Baby Dolls
Twinkle twinkle moon and star
Amigurumi eel
Rose Tyler doll
Doctor Who doll
Drops Dress, hat and bag (British terminology)
Uthando crocheted doll
Crocheted crib toys
Crocheted Rainbow mobile
Other
Infant jogging suit
Diapers for Baby Pack
Old towels would work fine as a source of terry cloth.
Fitted or all-in-ones would not work as they would not dry easily, and would become mildewed.
Thanks for helping out.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Zulu Phrases
Sawubona Hello, good morning etc ( to one person)
Hamba kahle Go well (saying goodbye to someone leaving you)
Sala kahle Stay well (Saying goodbye to someone you are leaving)
Lala Kahle Sleep well
Ubisi Milk
Umfana boy
Intombazane girl
Intombi young lady
Isipho gift
Babazeka beautiful
-mnandi sweet (eg intombazanemnandi sweet girl)
Uthando love
Ikhaya home
Injabulo happiness
Ingane baby, child
Usana newborn
Igugu precious
Ukuthula quiet
Duduza comfort
Isimomo beautiful girl
Insizwa young man
Imbube lion
Ukudla food
Amanzi water
Inhlanzi fish
Ingwenya crocodile
Izenze flea
Knit pattern suggestions
Anything from P2 . Fabulous site with tons of beautiful patterns. Thanks, P2.
http://www.p2designs.com/Links-CharityPatterns.htm
Or Bev’s Country Cottage:
Many, many patterns gathered from all over. We appreciate you, Bev.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/
Hats
Sweet Baby Cap
Viking Hat
Ruffled Baby Hat
Cupcake Hat
Pineapple Hat
Bunny Beanie
Drops designs Hat, scarf and mittens
Christmas Pudding Hat
Erssies Easy Beanies
Feather and fan hat
Toque to match Berry sweater
Stegosaurus hat
Chevron Lace hat
Beatrix hat
Lamb's Pride hat
A Little Hat
Latrodectus (funky spider) hat
Booties
Cute Converse booties
Converse #2
Saartjes bootees
RuthBooties2.
Lace booties to match Bev's hat
XOXOsocks
Ruby
Pirate booties
Knitty Gritty Suede booties
Booties to match Berry Sweater
Bunny booties
Lace up booties
Renaissance booties
Sweaters
Offset Wraplan
Super natural stripes
Baby Om
LettermanStyleBabyCardi
Eyelet baby cardigan
Sorbet Sweater
Wee Pocketed Cardigan
Hanna
Mossy Jacket
Peach Blossom Jacket
Middy top
Bunny Hop Baby Ruffle
KnitList Baby Coat
Sock Yarn Set
Caron Baby Caftan
Jimmy Bean's sweater set
Moss stitch jacket
Little tux
Berries and cream sweater
Tied Shrug
Baby shrug
Basic Baby Sweater
Top Down cardigan
Berroco Pie Garter stitch kimono
Toys/Bears/Dolls
Teddies for tragedies worked in the round
Inchworm
Bear
Norberta Dragon
Amy Doll
Garter stitch elephant
Bliss's dolly
Monkey
Lola Bunny
Lucy the Lamb
Guinea Pigs
Molly the Mouse
Bobbles the Clown
Little Dudes
Noah's Ark
Baby blanketBear and Blanket
Bear Family
Teddy ( may not be best for baby)
Uthando knitted doll
Afghans
Blanket and Bear
Cielo Baby blanket
Houndstooth blanket
Honeycomb blanket
Sunny Blanket
Other
Bib Overalls
Baby Bell Bottoms
Baby blue jeans
Starting Out
Each pack contains:
a waterproof (vinyl baby pants)
a jumper (sweater or cardigan)
a baby gro (sleeper)
a bib
a vest
booties or socks
a blanket
soap
a little knitted toy
Baby Pack Project
c/o Val Bailey,
Box 654,
Shelly Beach, 4265,
South Africa